Senior Human Resources Assistant

July 3, 2026

A (least hardship)

Family

GS5

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-08-01

Senior Human Resources Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
Senior Human Resources Assistant will function under direct supervision of the Administrative or Human Resources Officer, assisting him/her in personnel administration and other HR related matters, including the process of recruitment and appointment of staff, and in the performance management and welfare issues of staff under area of responsibility (AOR).

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Assist in the recruitment, assignment, reassignment and separation of local service staff. Prepare documents for the interview panel for the recruitment of local staff.
- Process local staff members' contracts, entitlements and benefits in accordance with Staff Rules and established HR procedures.
- Update personnel related information in MSRP/HR module where this activity has been rolled out from PAS to the respective office.
- Advise staff members on their rights, obligations, benefits and entitlements, and assist them in interpreting UN/UNHCR staff rules and regulations.
- Assist newly-arrived international staff with administrative formalities related to their accreditations, security/ground passes, submission of completed forms and related documents to headquarters, arrange travel and hotel reservations
- Assist with shipment of their personal effects in coordination with the logistics section.
- Administer UNHCR medical insurance plan for locally recruited staff. Provide administrative support to staff and dependants in case of medical evacuations, as well as security evacuations/relocations. Maintain daily tracking record of staff and families to provide accurate information in case of emergency.
- Maintain personnel records in the office, including maintenance of the attendance, overtime and leave records.
- Initiate calculations for payments related to personnel issues such as settlement of travel claims, overtime claims, hazard pay, MIP reimbursements, medical and security evacuations, shipment costs.
- Initiate routine correspondence on HR matters for the authorizing officer's approval.

- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G5 - 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
Secretarial Administrative
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Good knowledge of UNHCR administrative procedures and processes and exposure to provision of support services in an international organization.

Desirable
Field experience with UNHCR and/or with other humanitarian organizations is an asset.
High IT affinity and working experience of PeopleSoft/MSRP.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PG-Resource planning
FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other)
HR-PeopleSoft Human Capital Management
UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile

In addition to the qualifications outlined in the Job Description, the ideal candidate should demonstrate strong adaptability and the ability to work in a dynamic environment with shifting priorities. The incumbent should be proactive, flexible, resilient to change, and capable of working effectively under pressure while managing multiple competing demands. Strong communication and organizational skills are essential, as well as a high degree of discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment when handling sensitive and confidential information. Experience supporting senior managers or executives, including agenda management, coordination of meetings, and follow-up on action points, would be a strong asset. The ability to handle a broad range of administrative and operational tasks with minimal supervision is highly desirable.


Additional Duties

In addition to the responsibilities described in the Job Description, the In addition to the responsibilities described in the Job Description, the incumbent may provide administrative and coordination support, including logistics and payment processing, drafting briefing notes and other written materials, conducting basic research and analysis on issues relevant to the operation, and supporting cross-functional initiatives and operational priorities. The incumbent may also be responsible for supporting senior managers in various task, coordinating appointments and meetings, ensuring timely follow-up on commitments, supporting the monitoring and administration of staff-related budgets and expenditures, preparing budget tracking reports, and handling sensitive information with the utmost confidentiality and discretion, in line with organizational standards and evolving operational needs.

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This position is advertised internally only, i.e., applications are open to:
- Internal candidates: staff members with an indefinite or fixed-term appointment in the same category as the position advertised, staff members who, at the date of the deadline for application, are serving at the grade of the position or one grade below or above, as well as any candidates serving at higher grades who fulfil the criteria as per the job advertisement.
- Candidates with UNHCR experience at the time of application: current staff members in other categories, staff members on temporary appointment, affiliate workforce, interns, and staff loaned/seconded. Former UNHCR locally recruited staff members who held an indefinite or fixed-term appointment (within 2 years of separation for males and 5 years for females).
- Staff members must serve for a minimum of one year following assignment before being considered eligible to apply for another position within the same category.
- Only Salvadorian or candidates holding a permanent residency in El Salvador will be considered eligible. Candidates must attach proof of permanent residency in El Salvador at the time of application.
- Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on the grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might/could include a written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.
- UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training, or any other fees).
- This position is offered under Fixed-Term Appointment, initially for a period of 1 year.
- Remuneration: A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations. UNHCR also offers comprehensive medical insurance and pension plans.

English

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Spanish

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

FI-ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other), HR-PeopleSoft Human Capital Management, IT-Computer Literacy, IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), PG-Resource planning, UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures

Certifications

Administration - Other, Secretarial - Other

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration, Technological awareness

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance